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Tom Bedford

How to watch the US Open Tennis Grand Slam online or on TV for free

Novak Djokovic during the 2023 US Open quarter-finals.

If you're not tired of tennis after the 2024 Olympics, then you'll be glad to know that the racquet action isn't over yet: the US Open begins on Monday, August 26 for two more weeks of intense matches.

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The US Open is the final of the four major tennis Grand Slams each year, following the Australian, French and Wimbledon events, and in 2024 we've also seen the Olympics for some extra kudos to the top players.

Most of the world's top tennis players are expected to descend upon New York's Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for two weeks of play, but the exact roster won't be confirmed until Thursday, August 22.

As one of the big sporting events of the year, it's easy to watch the US Open from around the world, with plenty of different broadcasters covering the tennis to different degrees.

We'll help you find a way to watch the US Open tennis from wherever you are.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in the US

The best way to watch the US Open is by signing up for ESPN Plus. ESPN's streaming service is set to host live streams of every match across all the courts, so it'll let you watch as much of the action as possible.

ESPN Plus currently costs $10.99 per month (soon to increase in October), though many choose to subscribe via the Disney Bundle which combines it with Disney Plus and Hulu for a reduced price.

If you don't want to sign up for a streaming service in order to watch the US Open, then there are two cable channels that will show coverage from the event: ESPN2 and ESPNEWS will provide "daily live TV coverage" according to the US Open website.

If your cable plan doesn't include ESPN2 and ESPNEWS. then a few live TV streaming services offer them: DirecTV Stream, Sling Orange and Fubo have both while YouTube TV has ESPN2 and Hulu with Live TV has ESPNNEWs.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in the UK

In the UK, there's only one way to watch the US Open, and it'll cost you.

This is via Sky Sports, which holds the broadcasting rights to the tennis event, so you'll be able to watch coverage via its online platform or its premium live TV channels.

Sky Sports is one of the priciest subscription services in the UK, costing between £40-£50 per month depending on your contract term and whether you can find a Sky TV deal to reduce the cost somewhat. This is because it's an add-on to Sky TV which is quite expensive in its own right.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in Australia

If you live in Australia, there are two ways to watch the US Open tennis, and there's one we'd recommend.

This one is 9Now because this streaming service is free to use; 9Now's exact coverage has yet to be confirmed but for Aussies who don't want to pay to watch the tennis it's a great option.

Some coverage is also expected to air on Stan Sports, as it hosts streams of every Grand Slam tennis championship. However with Stan Sports costing at least $27 per month (it's $15 monthly, on top of a Stan subscription which starts at $12 but goes up for more features), this won't be a cheap way to watch.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in New Zealand

In New Zealand, there's one way to watch the US Open; thankfully it's free so you can enjoy the tennis with no committment.

This is TVNZ+, which one again takes the broadcast rights like in previous years. This streaming service will host streams of the various games and also host highlights.

How to watch the US Open Tennis everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch the US Open you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite sports, shows or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

All you need to know about the US Open tennis tournament

What is the US Open schedule of play

The order of play for the US Open is set to be confirmed during the week of Monday, August 19; this is when qualifying matches begin, ahead of the proper tournament start a week later.

When the schedule of play goes live, you'll be able to find it on the US Open website here.

Where does the US Open take place?

The US Open takes place in New York City's Queens borough, at the Billie Jean King Natinoal Tennis Center.

This hardcourt tennis center is the regular host of the US Open.

Who's playing in the US Open

At the time of writing, the US Open's player list hasn't been confirmed. That'll happen on Thursday, August 22, and you'll be able to find a contestant list here.

However the US Open has already confirmed a few of the big-name players: Iga Swiatek, Barbora Krejcikova, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka will be there for the women, and Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will be there for the men.

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